SCOTLAND has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in western Europe.

Youngsters in deprived areas are four times more likely to become pregnant than those in well-off neighbourhoods. Year on year the Government miss targets to drive down unintended pregnancies.

There are signs of progress that the health message is getting through to ­teenagers. But that delicate progress in getting them to tune in to the health message is endangered by spreading alarm about sex education among ­youngsters and their parents.

The ­appearance of Bible-bashing Pamela Stenzel in Scotland’s schools is not a welcome ­development.

The overrated and over-here doyen of the US Right has been accused of exaggeration and ­intimidation to spread her anti-sex, ­anti-abortion message.

Sex education in schools needs to be measured and pitched with exactly the right tone for the message to get through and be effective.

Teenagers, even younger tweenagers, can absorb very frank and direct information if they trust the authority figure imparting the message.

It is equally important that the education authorities and their parents accept and trust the information as well.

That’s why alarmist opinions such as ­Stenzel’s have no place in the classroom or in the balanced approach that Scottish education and health professionals are developing.

There is simply no room for a ­Bible-bashing message in what should be ­informative, impartial and ­non-judgmental education.

Help is at hand

THE courage of teenager Rebecca Forrester in waiving her anonymity to criticise the soft sentencing of a teacher who made sleazy online approaches is to be applauded.

Creepy Kyle Young did not get a jail sentence for stalking his pupil online but her actions have made sure that he will not be allowed to teach again.

Rebecca, 13 at the time, had lots of support from her friends to speak out, but that is not ­everyone’s experience. Dealing with sexual advances can sometimes be confusing and isolating.

But just as online life can be a ­minefield for young people, social network campaigns such as Everyday Sexism on Twitter prove young women should not, and do not, have to tolerate unacceptable behaviour by men.